 Today is Wednesday, and for me that means it’s the day of the week I get to swing by my local comic shop and pick up the week’s new releases. I’m a regular at The Comic Cult in Torrance, and they have a “pull list” from me. So every week that I come in, my books are already pulled and set aside for me. However, today there was a second store I needed to visit to complete my week's comic book run. That store was The Comic Bug in Manhattan Beach. Why? Because signing copies of “The Fifth Beatle” graphic novel there was the book’s artist Andrew C. Robinson. “The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein Story” was released late last year. It’s a biography on Brian Epstein, the young Beatles manager responsible for guiding them from being a little-known local bar band from Liverpool to the international superstars he saw them as. I didn’t rush out to get it but it was always on my radar to pick up eventually. And holding off seems to have worked out fine because I picked it up today autographed by Mr. Robinson who also included an impressive quick little Beatle sketch to boot.  A picture of my autographed book “If anyone was the Fifth Beatle, it was Brian.” I didn’t intend to read and then finish this book today. But when I got home I started reading it and just got caught up in the unfolding story. From the book’s promotional press, Brian “…was homosexual when it was a felony to be so in the United Kingdom...”, and that part of his life is attacked, literally, at the very start of the book. Continuing from there we’re shown that Brian had an upbeat personality who, upon seeing The Beatles his first time performing at a club called the Cavern Club, completely visualized the success and international reach of the band’s potential and immediately made it his mission to personally lead them to that goal.  I have to admit, that part seemed a bit rushed and unbelievable. But it does get the story quickly on its way to some fun and interesting bits: Brian’s first meeting with John, George, Paul and Ringo as their manager; initiating their iconic look while “the boys” provide joking commentary; the failed meetings and feedback from all the record labels; until finally the meeting with Ed Sullivan to book them on his show. The full story is told in three parts, with the first focusing on the birth of the Beatles on to their successful introduction to America and the world. Once that’s done, the rest of the story begins to weave Brian’s personal highs and lows in the short few years of his life that follow. As is natural for a Beatles story, there’s a fair amount of surreal storytelling going on, both graphically and in prose, at just the right events, and Beatles lyrics are used occasionally to flavor other scenes further. The dialogue is terrific, grounded with British terms, phrasing and spelling, and especially when young John, Paul, George and Ringo enter, who are characterized as witty, spirited, light-hearted poets when commenting on all the rules and changes Brian orders them to make on their way to stardom.  I knew going in, having read some of the promotional press beforehand, that Brian’s was a tragic story, and it is, with emphasis on the loneliness he suffered as a British gay man during the 60’s. The band and others knew he was gay but it never appeared to be an issue. It was just an issue for him and a burden he carried while also succeeding to bring The Beatles through every subsequent big new event in their career until his death in the late 60's at the age of 32. I wasn’t familiar at all with Andrew Robinson’s artwork coming into this. It’s very stylized. If you’re familiar with Bob Peak’s work, it’s similarly loose and whimsically flavored while featuring spot on likenesses of recognizable figures like The Beatles, President Kennedy, Colonel Tom Parker and Ed Sullivan. That's a big plus!! A short section of the book was illustrated by Kyle Baker; his work I’m more familiar with. His style is much looser and in this case, very cartoony, stylishly relating Brian and the band’s surreal experience touring in the Philippines. In the afterward, the book’s author Vivek J. Twarty directly addresses any nitpickers of the facts in his story, saying the film version of his book (which he’s working on) might feature a disclaimer reading “…incidents, characters, and timelines have been changed for dramatic purposes.” He claims everything in the book “did happen” but he also makes clear he wanted to convey “…the essence of a man.” He, with Robinson and Baker’s help, succeeded. Not only that, there’s a lot of spirit, warmth, humanity, and, when the Beatles are around, whimsy in “The Fifth Beatle”. I found it a captivating and insightful read supported by beautiful, emotional artwork.  Besides the standard hardcover, Nook and Kindle editions of "The Fifth Beatle" are two deluxe editions. This collector's edition of this groundbreaking graphic novel features a textured cover and a section of bonus materials including unique Beatles and Brian Epstein memorabilia, artist sketches, and alternate covers. This limited edition of this groundbreaking graphic novel features a signed tip-in sheet by creators Vivek J. Tiwary, Andrew C. Robinson, and Kyle Baker, along with a bonus section including unique Beatles and Brian Epstein memorabilia and behind-the-scenes sketches, a unique, textured cover, and a special slipcase. Limited to 1500 signed and numbered copies. I picked up the Collector's Edition. Robinson gets an additional twenty pages in the book to share his sketches, layouts, and poster comp art, providing commentary and background notes on every page. Loved it all! The final four pages offer photos of Brian Epstein mementos, a few personal effects shared by his friends or Beatles collectors with explanations of each from Tiwary. Of the pieces, my favorite is a water-stained poster advertising the pre-Ringo Beatles performing at the Cavern Club that features black and white portrait photos of each of the young band members who are yet to sport their classic hairdos.
Not mentioned in the description above is that the book also includes a red ribbon bookmark. It plus the textured cover are classy added touches.
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 Roland F. Crump is better known as Rolly Crump. He got the nickname “Rolly” from his former boss, Walt Disney. Rolly Crump, a former Imagineer, has a window dedicated to him on Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland and was named a Disney Legend. I first learned of Rolly probably from his appearance on Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color TV show, in an episode celebrating Disneyland's 10th anniversary. I own a copy of the episode on DVD, released about ten years ago. In the episode Walt asks Rolly to show off some pieces he created for the yet-to-be-opened Haunted Mansion attraction. Walt mentioned Rolly’s creations would all appear in a section of the Mansion called the Museum of the Weird. But Walt died a year later, and the Museum of the Weird never materialized. Excerpt from 10th Anniversary episode of Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color featuring Walt Disney, Disneyland ambassador Julie Reems, and Imagineers Marc Davis and Rolly Crump  Last week, Marvel Comics debuted a new comic book titled “Seekers of the Weird”. The idea for the series was recommended by current Imagineers who felt Rolly's creations, which by now had become legendary among Disney geeks by the very fact that they were introduced by Walt himself but never seen after that, would provide great material for the series. I soon learned that those Imagineers would be doing a signing of the first issue at a local comic shop not far from Disneyland. In addition, Rolly Crump would join them for the signing too. I say all that to set up the enthusiasm I felt after reading that enjoyable first issue, followed by meeting Rolly himself at the signing. I searched the Internet to learn more about him and his Museum of the Weird and quickly discovered Rolly's 2012 autobiography "as told to" Jeff Heimbuch. After placing my Amazon order, I was surprised to learn it included a free Kindle version. As soon as I downloaded it, I started reading it. I cannot remember the last time I read a book that felt like one long, friendly conversation, told in an easy-going style, and being enchanted by great stories and fascinating anecdotes both about the world of Disney from the 50’s to the 90’s and the remarkable life of this lucky guy. Nor can I remember finishing such a book as quickly. I finished this book in three days. For a guy who easily gets distracted for hours at a time on his iPhone or surfin’ the web, finishing a book in three days is one amazing feat!  Rolly Crump speaking at the dedication of his window added to the Windows on Main Street at Disneyland, April 29, 2009. I'm a designer by profession, so his stories as a young artist were ones I easily related too. He was hired as an animator for Walt Disney Animation in the early 1950s. Even though he had no training in animation, he took a $45 pay cut from his $75-a-week ceramic factory job to pursue the arts field. He worked as an in-between on films like “Peter Pan” and “Lady and the Tramp” before being transferred to WED Enterprises (later named Walt Disney Imagineering) to work on projects including the Enchanted Tiki Room, it’s a small world, and the Haunted Mansion. He eventually became Supervising Art Director at Disneyland and also ran his own independent business, working on projects for the Knott's Berry Farm family, Wet 'n' Wild, Steve Wynn, Jacques Cousteau and scores of other clients. He shares his memories about each of these projects, seasoned with details about these and many other people he encountered, the rich, the famous and the not-so-famous.  Rolly Crump's Museum of the Weird self-portrait And they are all cute stories. Especially his stories about working with Walt, because, you know, this guy Rolly actually worked with him. The proof is on film! If you're a Disney fan, interested in the creative mind, or just want a good, fun book to read, I highly recommend this book. P.S. – So what do I do when my Amazon shipment finally arrives? Well, the book includes photos, so it’ll be great to see them all again in the printed copy of the book. UPDATE (1/28/14): My book arrived yesterday. I'm glad I got to read the free Kindle version immediately after ordering the book, but after skimming through the pages of the book, I'm also really glad I own the print edition. The Kindle version includes all the photos from the book, but the book, which measures 8 1/2" x 11", showcases them better, laid out next to the stories that concern them. I especially appreciated the full page photos and smaller photos grouped together in a page spread to compare them easily to each other. I couldn't do that in the static layout of the digital version which had images on their own separate pages. Ironically, I was able to see the details in the printed photos better than on my tablet (I don't own an iPad for those of you curious, discerning types; still getting by on my HP TouchPad). The pages are also designed with graphics familiar in the author's work that also effectively echo the whimsy of Crump's personality. But that design palette includes a pale yellow cast printed on all of the pages. At first I thought the dull look made me think it was printed on newsprint. I think I'm glad I read this on the high contrast screen of my tablet. The book cover feels a little odd too. It feels to have a latex finish to it. It feels rubbery, something I've never encountered on other books. That caught me off guard and I wondered at first if I ought to wipe it down so it didn't feel weird. I would love to get this autographed someday. Makes better sense than having my tablet autographed.  Written by by Marc Tyler Nobleman with illustrations by Ty Templeton, this book was published in 2012 and has received a lot of attention and praise. I'm a *huge* Batman fan, but the reason why I never rushed to read this until now was I was afraid I'd never finish reading a thick tome of a biography. But after joining a reading group a friend started to read 50 books this year, I finally ordered myself a copy, inspired to invest the time to read it through once I received it. It arrived today, and I finished it in 20 minutes! In all the time I'd read notices about this book, I'd never ever gotten the impression that it was written as a children's book. But now, I look at the Product Details section of the Amazon description of it for the first time, and there it is right at the start: Age Range: 8 - 12 years Before I started reading it, I wondered if this book should even qualify as a book for my reading group, or if it would be more fair to call it half a book. But having now finished it, it does tell, however briefly, a remarkable story full of interesting facts followed by an Author's Note several pages long detailing the research, revelations and end notes to Bill Finger's legacy. By all accounts, Bill Finger is the uncredited co-creator of Batman who died in 1974 with barely any fanfare. And surely none was expected from fans who knew nothing about him and his connection to the Caped Crusader. 
But he was the young man who helped finesse Bob Kane's initial sketches of this new character Kane designed called Bat-Man into his signature look; wrote the first Joker, Catwoman and Robin stories; later created the origin story for Batman; and continued to write Batman stories for some twenty-odd years after his debut in Detective Comics #27 in 1939 (one year after Superman's debut), all the while never getting creator credit and the financial compensation that goes with that. That solely went to Bob Kane because that's how the contract with the publisher was drawn up at Kane's direction. That made Kane a millionaire. But Finger simply wasn't a fighter, so he never fought for his fair share. Every page of the story is fully illustrated, like children books are, with oversized panels to echo the comic book motif. The artwork is clean and drawn in a realistic but simplistic style, presenting both specific key scenes in Finger's life as well as a few spreads spotlighting his most important work on Batman. 
The Author's Note at the end is what really helps elevate this children's book to one readers of all ages will find worthwhile. Beyond his interviews with family and comic book industry colleagues, Nobleman's search for biographical information on and photos of Finger was quite challenging. At the time of publishing, he was only able to locate a total 17 photos of Finger. He later found out from his second wife that "We weren't photo people." And in hoping to find an heir of Finger's that could receive his modest royalty checks from DC Comics, he reveals both a sad and a happy ending. I was shocked when I opened my package to find an oversized children's book. But was relieved that this turned out to be a satisfying biography shining a spotlight on a man that I never knew about but am now so grateful to. He wrote the earliest adventures of my childhood hero which Kane didn't always draw (Kane hired ghost artists, among them Jerry Robinson, to help draw those early Batman stories). It makes me a little sad knowing what Kane never shared with his collaborator. But through this modest book, Bill Finger finally gets some long overdue recognition. 
 Wow, what a thoughtful, well-written and well-conceived Superman story. I wasn’t as enamored with Volume One. But this follow-up is thoroughly more satisfying. DC Comics’ “Earth One” graphic novel series re-tells the origins of their superheroes as if they were conceived by writers today, as opposed to some 75 years ago, and if characters lived in today's world. Great liberties are allowed to be taken, with writers and artists picking and choosing what elements from what’s been written before to keep, what to be inspired by and what to completely revise. The hope is that the tone and material will be more accessible, relatable and appealing to new readers wanting something less fanciful or, essentially, less comic book-y, yet still present the same spirit of what made each hero so popular and lasting to begin with.  Three books have been published in the series so far, one for Batman (with a broad-shouldered, combat-hardened Alfred who walks with a cane as the reluctant assistant and mentor to Bruce) and now two for Superman, whose lead shares much more in spirit to the alien orphan played by Henry Cavill than the all-American charmer fighting for truth and justice presented by Christopher Reeve or George Reeves. Until now my favorite was Batman Earth One, but this second Superman book is also a surprise winner. A direct sequel to Volume One, Volume Two explores some very common sense ideas about a super-powered boy concealing his abilities his entire childhood and how it affects the way he thinks as he grows into a young man now burdening himself with the responsibility to help those in need while still maintaining an alternate identity among mankind.  Volume One It also includes the best quote ever to come from Pa Kent to his teenage son: “All I’m saying, son, is – man of steel – woman of tissue paper.” That tells you one topic that’s covered! There are a few PG-13 topics in this story, which chooses to skew the story more into a character study about Clark than an action-adventure tale about a caped hero. This story spends more time showing a Clark Kent awkwardly pursuing a hidden, normal life behind his horn-rimmed glasses than the destructive nature of his alter ego which is a big question mark to the world at large, particularly how concerned should they be about this person that governments cannot control. There’s also a really sweet flashback to Clark’s first pet, a cat named Fuzzball. Lois Lane is here, as are Perry and Jimmy. But she’s not the one in a relationship with Clark shown in decades of Superman stories. Instead, a sexy red-haired neighbor goes after our naïve lead character and what develops is both funny and meaningful. Instead, Lois can’t get over Kent scooping the entire world by getting The First Interview with Superman. So being a naturally competitive reporter, she’s out to find dirt on this new guy from Smallville. It’s a plausible, adversarial reaction for someone like a Lois. And the villain, the Parasite, is introduced in a well-developed, fairly grounded storyline whose addictive search for physical strength also feeds organically to the subplot about the world’s and its government’s fears about Superman and how they wish they could control him. 
So it’s less about titans fighting each other, skyscrapers demolished in their wake (which does happen here). Instead, it takes its time crafting real characters in plausible situations, especially Clark’s. And it slowly drew me in so by the end, I was genuinely surprised and satisfied by the conclusions reached in the handful of subplots told. I'm not a Superman fan either, I'm a Batman fan. But I really enjoyed this book. 
 I turned 50 today. And I decided to embrace it boldly and proudly. Taking the same route as my Christmas card art, I created this banner using selected moments, memories and achievements from my life to spell out my message graphically. This was a last minute project I thunk up for myself too. The notion to do this only hit me yesterday morning. I brainstormed words and letters for about fifteen minutes, then went about my day as thoughts and notions ruminated in my brain. I got to work with the actual graphic designing at 8:30p last night. As I'd hoped, I finished it just before midnight, as yesterday transitioned into my birthday. This morning, I spent a few hours to compose and write this blog. Figured you'd wanna know where each letter comes from. So here you go. Enjoy the read!  F is from Super Friends One of my favorite Saturday morning cartoons growing up.  I is from The Tick The first kid's meal toy program I worked on from start to finish was for a comic book super hero that I'd never even heard of before. The Balancing Tick (at left) and Charles the Brainchild toy (concept sketch below and photo of the produced piece here) were the first toys I ever designed. Check out my portfolio page to find my original concept sketches of The Tick toy.   F is from Buffy the Vampire Slayer This is but one of many geek shows I loved watching. Others were The X-Files, Xena: Warrior Princess, Firefly & Serenity and most anything with "Star Trek" in the title.  T is from Batman I loved this show as a kid! Batman is my favorite comic book hero to this day.  Y is from Barry Manilow Yes, I am a Fanilow. And darn proud of it. Back in the day, there was this thing called the Columbia Record Club where you could get like 6 records for a penny. This two-LP set was one of the ones I ordered.  Y is from Disneyland That's no surprise, right? I have hundreds of photos I've taken at various Disney events and parks posted on Flickr, including the one below from my experience joining hundreds of thousands of Disney fans at three in the morning to celebrate Disneyland 50th birthday. Click it to check out the entire gallery.   E is from Huey Lewis and The News My favorite rock band, the voice of my college-age self.  A is formed by the Starfleet Uniform pin from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Like I mentioned before, I've been a Star Trek fan since the original series. The art I used for the "a" is a graphic I rendered myself, first for a tee-shirt design and then an infographic I created this past year that's posted over at this site.  R is from Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition I designed Star Wars kid's meal toys. And for that, I was forced to take many business trips to a place called Skywalker Ranch. Ho hum.. Below is a Taco Bell promotional header card showing the toys in the promotion, shamelessly pointing out the ones I concepted in the series. You can see some of my concept art on my portfolio page.   S is from San Diego State University That's where I went took the five-year plan to earn my degree. This was the logo they were using oh those many moons ago.  O is from San Diego Comic-Con International The first time I went to Comic-Con, Bob Kane, the co-creator of Batman, was there to help ease fans' fears about Michael Keaton being cast as Batman. Comic-Con then was nothing like the monster it is now. Visit Flickr to see my pix from my visits to Comic-Con and WonderCon over the past few years.  L is from the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games At the first company that hired me after graduating college, I got to build and manage a staff to design and develop lapel pins and collector's pin sets for the Olympic Games sponsors and retailers when Atlanta hosted the games. All that experience working personally with the licensing office in Atlanta, as well as with licensing offices on other sports licenses, groomed me well for my eventual work designing products for licensed entertainment properties like The Tick and Star Wars.  D is from DC Comics This is the 1970's version of the logo that I saw on the covers of the comic books I read and collected back in the day. I still read comic books today which, since I have freelance work for clients including Sideshow Collectibles, doubles professionally as "research"! Below is the first of many other projects I've worked on at Sideshow this past year, including some DC Comics characters, that should all finally see the light of day beginning in 2014.  |
All About Me
A fan of Star Trek, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Batman, comic books, Blu-rays, Disney, soundtracks, taking pictures, theatre and...Barry Manilow! Archives
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